Means for producing knitted metallic mesh structures



Aug. 28, 1951 A. M. GOODLOE MEANS FOR PRODUCING KNITTED METALLIC MESH STRUCTURES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug.

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Aug. 28, 1951 A. M. GOODLOE MEANS FOR PRODUCING KNITTED METALLIC MESH STRUCTURES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 29, 1947 ENTOR.

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Aug. 28, 1951 A. M. GOODLOE MEANS FOR PRODUCING KNITTED METALLIC MESH STRUCTURES 3 Sheets-Shet 5 Filed Au 29, 1947 E EN w d R INVENTOR. 44W 'mgoodzoe, BY 7? MA and at thesame time,

Patented Aug. 28, 1951 MEANS FOR PRODUCING KNITTED METAL- LIC MESH STRUCTURES Alfred M. Goodloe, Upper-MontclainN. J., signorv to -.Metal Textile Corporation,

N. J., a corporation of Delaware Orange,

' 815- W st Application A ugust 29, 1947, Serial No. 771,324

This invention relates-to means for producing a novel filter body medium; and the invention has reference, more particular1y','to a novel'fllter body medium produced from tubular knit 'metallic mesh, and adapted for forming the foraminous mass of various kinds of impingement type air and gasfilters, oil bath typefilters, as well as for other uses wherein an interstitial-body mass is required. I

In the use of tubular knit metallic mesh for forming a foraminous filter body, it has heretofore been known to flatten a suitable length of tubular knit mesh'into a double ply strip of suitable width, and then roll said strip upon itself to form-the mass of the filter body. Preparatory to thus rolling the flattened tubular mesh strip, it has also been known to first corrugate or crimp the strip transversely at an angle other than ninety degrees to the length ofsthe strip, and then superimpose a plurality of corrugate strips so that the corrugations or crimps of contiguous strips cross each other. When a flattened tubular knit metallic strip is thus corrugated or crimped, the corrugating operation tends to nest the corrugations or crimps of one ply thereof into those of the opposed ply,-with the wire strands of the respectiv plies tending to lie closely parallel in an approximate double strand formation or relation, so-that the mesh differs little from a single ply mesh strip formed from wire having the thickness of the two strands. Such effect is not satisfactory in 'that the strands of wire constituting the mesh are neither suitably separated -or substantiallyuniformly distributed throughout the area and mass of the fllter'body formed from the mesh; and, furthermore, the interstitial spaces formed by the mesh loops tend to remain fully open, so that the-filter body formed from the mesh is of unduly coarse porosity,involving risk-of escape of solids desired to be separated from fluid streams'which traverse the filter body. I I I Having the above conditions and' effects in view, it is the purpose of this invention to provide means for producing corrugated or crimped flattened tubular knit'meta'llic strip in which the corrugations or crimps ofcontiguous plies thereof are disposedinnon-nesting relation; in which the wire strands of knitted mesh are more efli ciently separated and relatively more uniformly distributed throughout the area and mass of the strip; and in which the interstices of the tubular knit strip are more uniformly distributed in efiect, both reduced in area and substantially doubled-in number, wherez 6 Claims. (01. 140-'107).

by to provide a filter .body formed from the mesh of more uniform andfiner porosity.

More specifically the invention seeks to provide means for producing corrugated or crimped flattened tubular knitmetallic strip, the opposed plies of which are so refolded andrelated'that the corrugations or crimps of the redisposedplies are each given a herringbone disposition, and are so mutually related'that superposed corrugations or crimps'oi the opposed plies will cross one another in non-nesting relation; with the advan-'- tage that a single strip of such herringboneformation maybe rolled upon itself, or portions thereof otherwise superposed, to forma filter body, without necessity for employing two strips superposed with their respective corrugations or crimps in crossed relation as has been heretofore necessary. g

The invention has for a further object to pro vide novel apparatus which is operative to refold a corrugated or crimped flattened tubular knit metallic mesh strip, whereby to automatically produce the above'statedfherringbone form and non-nesting relation of the corrugations or crimps of its resultant opposed Plie The invention ing drawings, in which;

Fig. 1 is a top plan vieW.Fig. 2 is a side elevational view; and Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal sectional view of apparatus operative to refold a corrugated or crimpedflattened tubular knit metallic mesh strip so as to convert the same into herringbone form.

Fig. 4 is a schematic plan view of a strip of flattened tubular knit metallic mesh, as provided with angularly transverse corrugations or crimps, and thus in initial condition ready to be converted into the novel herringbone form according to this invention. v v

Figs. -5 to 8 inclusiveare respectively crosssectional views illustrative of successive steps of the operation of refolding a 1 corrugated or crimped flattened tubular knit metallic mesh strip, whereby to .convert the same into the novel herringbone form according to this invention.

Fig. 9 a schematic plan'view of the corrugated or crimped tubular knit strip after conversion of the same into. the novel herringbone form according to this invention, a portion ofthe upper ply thereof being broken away todisclose the underlying-plyhaving its corrugations or crimps disposed-to cross those of said upper plyinnon nesting'relation. r

Similar characters of reference are employed is illfstrated'in the accompany}- in the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

The novel filter body medium according to this invention is produced from a length of tubulan knit metallic mesh of suitable diameter which is initially flattened so as to provide a two-ply strip comprising the obyerseiply I and contiguous reverseplyll.

The thus flattened two-ply strip is next passed through the nip of a pair of corrugating or crimp ing rolls of such character as. will corrugateor,

crimp the strip transversely at an anglerrelative to the length of the strip which is other than ninety degrees, whereby to form a continuous'succession of diagonal corrugations or crimps ac'ross the width of the strip. As so corrugated or crimped;'

I 3 of the reverse ply' the corrugations or crimps ll tend to nest into the corrugations or crimps [2 of the obverse ply The tubular knit metallic strip, as thus initially formed; provides 'the base material which is subject to conversion into the novel herringbone form of stripaccording to this invention.

"The tubular knit metallic mesh strip as'thus initially formed having'been provided, the same is subjected-to refolding operations by-means iof anapparatus or machine which will'now be. do? scribed. Said refolding apparatus or machinecomprises a base 20,- Rising from the sides of said base 20, at'the forward end of the latter, are bearing plates or members 2|.Journaled in and across said bearing plates or members 2| area pair of longitudinally spaced lower shafts 22 and 23, and a pairof similarly longitudinally spaced upper shafts24 and 25. 'Preferably,the shafts 22 and 24 are relatively disposed in vertical alignment, and similarly the shafts 23 and 25 are also disposed-in vertical alignment. 1 g 'Respectively fixed on the lower shafts 22 and 23, "incentral positions intermediate the bear- -ing plates or members 2 I are pulley wheels 26 and 21-over which runs and by which is driven an endlessbelt 28. In like manner, respectively fixed on the upper shafts 24 and 25, in opposition to the pulley wheels 26 and 21, are other pulley wheels 29 and 30 over which: runsand by which s driven a. second endless belt 31, the lower course of which is opposed to the upper course of said belt 28, whereby to cooperate with the latter for operativelyengaging the tubular knit metallic mesh strip to be moved through and operated upon by the machine, whereby to guide the run of theistrip and hold said strip against lateral displacement or shift,

. Fixed on the lower shaft 23 are a pair of mesh strip propelling wheels 32 which. are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the pulley wheel 21 in'equi-spaced relation to the latter." Fixed on the upper shaft 25 is alike pair of mesh strip propelling wheels 33 whichare opposed to the pro pelling wheels 32. Said .propelling wheels 32 and 33. areprovided with a plurality of circumferen- .tially spacedinesh strip engaging spurs 34 which project radially from the peripheries thereof. 'Ifhe spurs 34 of the wheels 32 are disposed in staggered relation to those of the wheels 33, so that ltlie lsame substantially intermesh, being thus ,adapted to penetrate a mesh strip engaged between the wheels 32 and 33, so that the latter will pperate to transmit a positive forward propelling movement to the mesh strip. Said mesh strip propelling wheels are laterally spaced apart for a distance somewhat less than the width of a fiattened tubular knit mesh strip,- whereby said H1 (see left end of Fig. 4),

wheels will operatively engage opposite lateral marginal portions of said strip.

One of said shafts, as e. g. the shaft 22 constitutes thedrive shaft of the machine, to which operating power may be applied by any suitable power transmission means. Fixed on the shaft 22, at one side 'of the machine, is a gear wheel 35 which drives a similar gear wheel 36 on the shaft 23 through an interposed idler gear 31, whereby said lower shafts and the pulleys and belt and mesh strip propelling wheels driven thereby are rotated in common counterclockwise direction. Eixedon the shafts 22 and 24, at the opposite side of the machine, are intermeshing gear wheels 38 and 39, and similarly fixed on the shafts 23 and 25, at said 'opposite'side of the machine, are intermeshing gear-wheels 40 and 4|, whereby the pulleys and belt and mesh strip propelling wheels driven by said shafts 24 and 25 are rotated in common clockwise direction, so as to cooperate'with the pulleys and belt and mesh strip propelling wheels driven by the shafts 22 and 23 for moving a mesh strip operated upon through.

the machine.

Disposed rearwardly of the mesh strip propelling mechanism above described is a mesh strip refolding mandrel. 'Said mandrel comprises a longitudinally extending main body or plate 42 which is disposed in perpendicular planejat least the forward portion 'of'which-is shaped to possess incline margins 43 which'are convergent upon its forward extremity 44. Connected with the forward portion of said main body'or plate 42, to extend in a central horizontal plane which intersects the longitudinal axis of said main body or plate 42, and respectively projecting from'o'pposite sides of said main body or plate, are refolder'fins. The forward portions 45 of said refolder fins are substantially coincident to the forward extremity of said main body or plate 42, andthe combined'lateral extent of said forward portions approximates the width of the flattened tubular knit mesh strip to be operated upon. Said refolder fins are provided with sides 46 which converge uponthe faces' of the main body or plate 42 atp'oints intermediate the forward and rearward ends of the latter. f V

Said mandrel is floatingly supported with its main body or plate 42 aligned in the plane of the pulleys and belts of the above described mesh strip propelling mechanism. To this end, the lower margin of said main body or plate 42 is supported by a freely rotatable, peripherally grooved carrier wheel 41, the latter being mounted on a bearing bracket 48 which is aflixed to the machine base 20. The rearward end of the mandrel is held against lateral displacement between a pair of guard posts 49, which are suitably afiixed to the base 20 to upstand therefrom in straddling relation to the main body or plate 42 of the mandrel. The forward end of the mandrel is also held against lateral displacement between a pair of perpendicularguard rollers '50 which are disposed contiguous tothe forward ends of the re' folder fins of the mandrel in straddling relation thereto. Said guard rollers 50 are rotatably mounted on journal posts 5|, which are also suitably afl-lxed to the base 20 to upstand therefrom.

In the use of the above described apparatus sesame belts 28 and 3| and between theopposed' pro pelling wheels 32 and 33 so as to be operatively engaged by these elements whereby, when power is applied to the machine, said mesh strip will be progressively advanced over the floating mandrel with accompanying desired refolding effects.

As the initial mesh strip moves onto the mandrel, its edge folds a and b will be engaged by edges of main body or plate 42 of the mandrel (see Fig. 5). As the strip progresses along the mandrel, the respective medial portions 0 and d of its initial plies l0 and II will ride onto and move forwardly along the inclined and forwardly divergent sides 46 of the refolder fins of said mandrel. The angle of convergence of the edges 43 of the forward portion of themain body or plate .42 is substantially complementary to the angle of divergence of the sides .46 the refolder fins, and, as a consequence of this, the medial portions c and d of the respective plies l0 and H of the tubular mesh strip will be spread apart proportionately to the movement of the edge folds a and b of the strip one toward the other. As such relative movements of the edge folds and medial portions of the mesh strip progresses, the observe ply ID of the strip will be divided into panels e and f and, in like manner, the reverse ply II of the strip will be divided into panels g and h (see Fig. 6). As the movement of the strip along the mandrel continues, the obverse ply will be doubled back upon itself along its medial'line and similarly the reverse ply will be doubled back upon itself along its medial line (see Fig. '7), until finally, as the strip passes off of the mandrel (being drawn therefrom by the strip propelling mechanism of the machine) the panels e and 7 will be brought together in face to face opposed relation and the panels g and it will be similarly brought together in like face to face opposed relation, with the panels e and g disposed in substantially common plane to form one ply and the panels 1 and h disposed in substantially common plane to form the other ply of the refolded mesh strip (see Figs. 8 and 9).

In the refolded corrugated or crimped tubular knit mesh strip, the folding of the initial corrugate plies transversely upon themselves results in disposing the corrugations or crimps of the re-formed plies so that the same extend in di vergent relation from medial portions of the respective re-formed plies in a herringbone pattern, and so that the herringbone pattern of the obverse re-formed ply comprises corrugations or crimps I2 and I3 divergently directed toward one end of the refolded strip, while the herringbone pattern of the reverse re-formed ply comprises corrugations or crimps l2 and I3 divergently directed toward the opposite end of the refolded strip (see Fig. 9). By reason of this, the herringbone pattern of corrugations or crimps of the obverse re-formed ply will cross those of the reverse re-formed ply, and consequently said corrugations or crimps can .not nest together, nor can corrugations or crimps of superposed re folded strips or strip portions nest together. Furthermore, the crossing of the corrugations or crimps of the re-formed plies of the refolded strip tends to better assure separation and crossing of strands of the knit loops of one re-formed ply relative to those of the opposite re-formed ply, whereby a more uniform distribution of wire and a multiplication and better distribution of the interstices of the mesh strip and of foraminous bodies formed therefrom is assured; all to the end 6 thata vastly improved medium for fluid filtration and similar purposes is provided.

Having now described myinvention, I claim: 1. A. machine for the purposes described comprisinga refolding mandrel formed by a mandrel plate disposed in perpendicular plane and provided'vvith a'forwardly tapered discharge portion defined 'by'inclined margins converging upon its forward discharge end, rearwardly tapered re folder fins respectively projecting from opposite sides of the .tapereddischarge portion of the mandrel -plate in a-horizontal plane intersecting the longitudinal axis of said mandrel plate, the combined widthof the forward discharge ends of saidrefolder "fins approximating the internal width of :a tubular mesh strip to be refolded, said forward discharge ends of==the-refolder fins being positioned in substantial alignment with the discharge .end of the mandrel plate, meansto fioatingly supportsaid refolder mandrel, driven means beyondthe discharge .end of the refolding mandrel operative to draw and advance the tubular strip thereover, and driven opposed endless belts aligned with the longitudinal axis of the refolding mandrel between contiguous runs of which the refolded tubular strip passes from said mandrel whereby to guide the strip and hold the same against lateral shifting displacement.

2. A machine as defined by claim 1 wherein the means for drawing and advancing the strip over the refolding mandrel comprises driven pairs of opposed strip propelling Wheels disposed to engage marginal portions of the refolded strip, said wheels having radial spurs to engage through the mesh of the strip material.

3. A machine as defined by claim 1 wherein the means to floatingly support the refolding mandrel comprises a pair of upstanding guard posts to straddle the rearward end of the mandrel, a pair of upstanding guard rollers to straddle the forward end of the mandrel, and a grooved carrier wheel cooperative with the lower margin of the mandrel plate.

4. A machine as defined by claim 1 wherein the means to floatingly support the refolding mandrel comprises a pair of upstanding guard posts to straddle the rearward end of the mandrel, a pair of upstanding guard rollers to straddle the forward end of the mandrel, and a grooved carrier wheel cooperative with the lower margin of the mandrel plate, and wherein the means for drawing and advancing the strip over the refolding mandrel comprises driven pairs of opposed strip propelling wheels disposed to engage marginal portions of the refolded strip, said wheels having radial spurs to engage through the mesh of the strip material.

5. In a machine for the purposes described, a refolding mandrel formed by a mandrel plate disposed in perpendicular plane and provided with a forwardly tapered discharge portion defined by inclined margins converging upon its forward discharge end, rearwardly tapered refolder fins respectively projecting from opposite sides of the tapered discharge portion of the mandrel plate in a horizontal plane intersecting the longitudinal axis of said mandrel plate, the combined width of the forward discharge ends of said refolder fins approximating the internal width of a tubular mesh strip to be refolded, said forward discharge ends of the refolder fins being positioned in substantial alignment with the discharge end of the mandrel plate, and'means to fioatingly support said refolding mandreL- 6. In a machine for the purposes described, a refolding mandrel formed by a mandrel plate disposed in perpendicular plane and provided with a forwardly tapered discharge portion defined by inclined margins converging upon its forward discharge end, rearwardly tapered refolder fins respectively projecting from opposite sides of thetapered discharge portion of the mandrel plate in a horizontal plane intersecting the longitudinal axis of said mandrel plate, the combined width of the forward discharge ends of said refolder fins approximating the internal width of a tubular mesh strip to be refolded, said forward discharge ends of the refolder fins being positioned in substantial alignment with the discharge end of the mandrel plate, and means to fioatingly support said refolding mandrel, said latter means comprising a pair of upstanding guard posts to straddle the rearward end of the mandrel, a pair of upstanding guard rollers to straddle the forward end REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 352,123 Getchell Nov. 9, 1886 386,761 Thomas July 24, 1888 520,366 Weaver May 22, 1894 960,112 Roehm May 31, 1910 1,141,066 Lloyd May 25, 1915 1,740,050 Van Lue Dec. 17, 1929 1,870,473 Tumulty et a1. Aug. 9, 1932 1,890,499 Davies Dec. 13, 1932 1,941,450 Sylvan Jan. 2, 1934 2,042,243 Watson May 26, 1936 2,106,431 Jones Jan. 25, 1938 2,327,184

Goodloe 1 Aug. 17, 1943 

